Bladder infections, also called cystitis, occur when bacteria from the rectum or skin enter the urethra, the tube that empties urine from the bladder to the outside out of the body. The bacteria travel into the bladder and, sometimes, into the kidney. Risk factors include menopause, sexual intercourse, contraceptive diaphragms and using condoms with spermicide, according to the American Urological Association. Treatment depends on the patient’s health status and the organism causing the infection. Symptoms--burning on urination, an urgent need to urinate, frequency and sometimes leakage of urine--are usually relieved within a day or two after treatment begins.
Short Course of Oral Antibiotics
Taking a short course of antibiotics by mouth is usually sufficient to treat a simple urinary tract infection. Typically, medications such as trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, amoxicillin, augmentin, doxycycline and fluoroquinolones are prescribed for three days for women and seven to 14 days for men, according to the American Urological Association. The patient is instructed to take the entire course of medications and plenty of fluids to prevent the infection from spreading to the kidneys.
Pain Reliever
In addition to antibiotics, patients may need to take a medication such as phenazopyridine hydrochloride to relieve some of the symptoms of bladder infections, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center. The medication treats the burning, pain, frequency and urge to urinate that are caused by the infection but does not treat the infection itself, reports Drugs.com.
Single Dose Antibiotics
Patients who have frequent bladder infections may need to take a single dose of an oral antibiotic after sexual contact, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center. They may also be instructed to self-diagnose and treat symptoms with a three-day course of antibiotics.
Intravenous Antibiotics
Patients who are very ill or who cannot take medication by mouth may require hospitalization for intravenous fluids and antibiotics, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. For complicated urinary tract infections, the patient may need several weeks of oral antibiotic therapy after discharge from the hospital.
